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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1994)
Bass of Power By Rob Hooper, I'lihtnity limes, (California State l !.<»<> Angeles Queen I atifah seems to tie sunny on top of the world \t she has accomplished more than most artists ho|H- to in a lifetime Her list of achievements includes tier own record lahel, management enmpa in, video store, platinum alliums and a feature film role in last fall’s \/v Life Now the t.'ueen sa\s she is glad to take on vet another challenge in a long list of < an er gi>als teles ishm "l ie always liecn into a million differ cut things at one tune,” she sa\s “1 his is no more difficult than liemg in high school, running through the streets of New ^ ork and playing on a hasketlull team I hat took the same amount of tune, hut now I’m |ust focused on dit ferent things " ( )ne of the main things she’s focused on these days is her role m the lox 1 \ sitcom, l.r.ing Single. In the show, I atifah plays maga/inc editor khadtiah. a tough, outspoken entrepreneur who shares a Brooklyn lirownstone ycith t\co other successful women I lose characters, along vcith khadijah's liest friend from college, otter each other advice on work, friendship and, most importantly, the opposite se\ I Ih result is a stylish hlend of humor and sincerity that ap|K*als to Inilh teen age and adult audiences I atifah sees many of her character’s personality traits in herself. “kludi|ah and I do lave .1 lut m iiimMiiin,n •'In- -..ns 'Win In ith Min esstul W c 11 .iK, I Ik ith rotncgirls In mi .in hi ml the wit Inn • tr-aighl up professionals .n work I ten tthrn playing .1 pan. I .1111uh s lown 111 earth attitude mints through in ui performance “\ 1 y own integrity lows through my 1l1.11.n1n." she cats, ‘so I won't do anything I don't agree •titli on I \ I made that elear |to tin irodticcrs| licit ire there was even a pilot I .it 11 ah s.ns her eharaetcr's no non ,ensc approach to lile appeals to her iw n sensibilities, but the show has not net with equal praise among critics Mthough /mg Single has garnvied ugh ratings in its first season, some elevision writers hate accused the show it male bashing “People are wan hum the show, .ititah says deteiisitelt. so obviously hey re not upset It stalled In soint guy anting an article, and he was basically ill puking lb wasii 1 looking .11 ant ot he c'ikkI things we do on the show he humor in 11 01 the camaraderie letween the characters lie picket! out me line in the pilot 10 write alxiut Vntl ,o what- It a gut does something crone. then we ll talk aliotit Ins ass." I ititah. whose real name is Dana Iwens, has never Itccn at raid to spt ak ter mind alxmt men, especially 111 her nusu I ler first two ( mammy nominal •d albums. Ill ILnl the Queen and With music, TV and film success at 23, Queen Latifah has a lot to say - and people are listening. \titure iff J ''I'ld 1 I o(U im litiv), hoth toni.1 m raps that speak out against tht abuse ot ws>iiicn Hti latest release, lil.iA- AYrgri i Wo'tow n i • no < \ t ;> lion ; 1 MM, the al hum's hist single . I atitah Issues h r I own i a 11 to arms tor wointn to him! together to men unit op|)ttssion I )urint tin song s tortttul thorns, she si mis. Who ii tailin’ a hitch l \ I 1 N You mit to Itt tm know 'ton ain't a hitch or i Im "1 wrote l MM’ lietausc 1 was suk of w hat I was sec me, she savs "I w as at a ( .leek pit tin at a i ol It pc in Philadelphia a cituple ot tears ago with some triends We weie sitting oil our iars watih I n g people go In , and some guts from a trait! nttt were sitting across the street from us ‘‘I’very time a gil l w al ked ht t hem. t het d pn k her up "tt die ground .tiul .ill the i»uvn would Ik teclm' her up ll she cursed them nut, thes'd s.n 1 ”k you, bitch,’ like she was in the ttriint’ Some nt the e;irls were actualh kicking .iiul punchmi; on the Kms to lease them alone "It nude me wonder where then heads were at," she sass " I tier claimed the\ were sill ij x rsed to lie in a tratetnit\ I want ed them to tell tile exactls what dies were I vrr\ v*tri in not Ilk* th.it \m! I think it's i ! inn eu tisi h »t i lot < »t t fuse rap iH'fs to s av thev imh I ill yirls bill hes «>r In in U v .nnc thev .Kt liki t h.it It doesn t make them ttght \lth.Mieh I intah nivn vhi* dots not want to he LiIk'IciI .is an issue oriented artist, num of tin songv on lil.tA AYn tie.11 with the problems *>t taeimii \ i«« lent e ami tuisu^yn\ that she has eiucmntereil m her enmnvumtv " Musk i an be a e i eat te.n Inn t she na\s I just nhln what I \ of artists don't open their e\es t*» see what’s going on out there I just want |K»»plt to respet t one inotlu i am! show eat h other some t ommon eourtesv \ It he nigh slu ' u i'll • s h ; if mipU i "eommon sensist. mam of I atifah s Ians have identified her as the nutinuli for the rap ami hip hop steru. a tub slu savs she is willing to brush aside for now "I’m too voting foi iliat imam bet a use I still don’t know what to do all the time I'm still growing up mvselt lor the moment, though, I atifah i\ she is looking torwao! to i omuit tout alter / /. mg S/n^Jr tinishes filming tor tlx season "I love the t halienge < »t wmnmt' over a crowd,’ slu avs "Sav voti make S 1 s (HK) in a nieht It v on have to bust your ass a little harder to get the audi enct on vom ft am, then pavinent |is| tine You’ve rained votir nuuu v \\ hen ask til w hit h slu would ‘boose it she had to pit k one career at tine or singing she takes a long pause Neither,” sht savs tm.illv with a hie grin "Little kids see me and don t know whether to ‘ ill me Dana. I atifah or k had 11 ah I like that 'so fat I u learned to follow through with tin own mstltu ts It I Silt t eed, well then lu v I [Kl II K \ < Ml **** *00ut using the words gfd or ho." ''^r^ "Just, AH r w Wrt l .? heart of latltah’s J music She tiRi us Mum a desire to over hardship is the y first step to lullnimq/ di earns. iBjbp' / • um ihemjfe cpvering/ safer sex to antMfflljVlM to / Self respect, ttM Quitfl/' reign is sure to \6y long lasting. Rob Hooper mini; n> represent I was tusi waiting tm them in m iii.it s"t on me mil cue mi- .1 reasi ill to tight lul l t il like to vc the' brothers in tin ( .reck system try to uphold what they re sup nosed to In- up holding." I ike m.iin females in r.ip ftlUSK: tod.ii, I J t I t .1 il S.I1S she uses her rhymes as a tool to r.nse consciousness .ihoul women s issues “I'm sir k ot w ,iu hmg guv look .it wh.it these other knuckleheads ttunonthtonfeasi \ ‘U N I T Y ‘ the al bum’s crowning glory. **< expresses her disgust tor men who treat women like pieces of meat Blending rap and \ hip-hop the song s ate doing and support V punchy ch0fUS Will mg them like we some n.make any man kmda hitch or ho," she savs think ftyice
